Little Falls transcript., 1887-06-10
"AND THIS is FATE" !"
New Orleans Times Democrat.

MO Is the little town OF San MarcOt.
The low-lying hills hug it close on
the north, the south wind, with 1.-The
odor OF the brine" yet On her breath,
tans It's face, and, so watched and ton
ded, it lies like a lazy child asleep be-
side the crystal waters OF its river
its river that q poet once described as
Princess reused from slumber by the
kiss
OF balmy Southern skies, who springs
From her rocky bed, and hastens on,
Far down the vale, to give her royal ha nd
In marriage to the waiting Guadalupe.
A half-mile below the head OF the
stream, where the "royal" skirts have
brushed past an old mill and set the
wheels a whirling, road leads up
ward into the town.
Down this road one afternoon in the
early Spring came man and a wom-
an.
In the air was that vague, delicious
thrill that marks the birth-time Of the
year, and over the earth the sunshine
lay warm and bright like d golden sea.
The girl, slim and strait as a young
magnolia tree, was walking rapidly,
the killings of her blue flannel dress
flying out from either side with every
step, as if in ecstasy OF motion.
The man kept pace with her, but
with slower movement, there being
less Of vitality in his slight, well-bnilt
figure, but N ore of nervous force.
AS they reached the river and start
ed up the slope toward the mill the
girl stopped suddenly.
80, forgot my dream. must 20
back home"
She turned her eyes full ON him as
she spoke, with a half-frightened gaze
They were OF that indescribable
shade called violet or rpansy, but which
Is really blue, burned dark by south
ern suns, and the effect OF their purple
light against the clear olive of her kin
was startling at times, and gave a pe-
cullar fascination to the small, some
what irregular face.
"Your dream! What dream?" ne
asked.
"Why,' very earnestly, "don't you
know the legend OF the San Marcos
River? WE'LL old people say if YOU
dream Of that Indian maiden who
drowned herself here, and see the wa.
ter dark and disturbed where she
plunged in, you will meet trouble be.
tore the day is over, and last night
dreamed of her three times"
lie looked at her with an irritating
smile, and then answered, teasinsly:
"Why, Miss Lucia, are you really SO
childish, and doyou fancy that if you
stay locked in your room you will
outwit destiny?" Here he laughed
outright. "Why, the fates are like love
they laugh at bolts and bars. Blu.
come on; l'll sec that the grim sisters
don t dip you in the river, anyway. I
don't know whether can avert all the
rest OF their malicious designs or not,
but I'll promise to do my best"
"You may make fun OF me il YOU
want to, but ii I am superstitious l
can't help 1T. Am / responsible tor an
irish grandfather and an old Creole
riurse?"
Her voice trembled, and she turned
her flushed face away.
lie came nearer-all the levity gone
out OF his manner
~ did nor mean to wound you,
Miss Lucia. You can be just as you
want, If If you will only say you for
give my foolish testing, and-won't 20
home"
"Well," otter 81 pause and with a
charming smile, will forgive you be-
cause you are ts man, and they are all
more or less inhuman, you know; and
1 don't believe l will 60 home either" I"
looking dreamily around 1.-The
evening is too fine to waste"
'Thank you! And honestly, Idon't
care how much you abuse my sex-so
you are kind to me-" he added men,
tally, give the little ear turned to-
ward him such 8 passionate look that
If dumb things could interpret the
birds, and the running water would
have guessed his carefully guarded
secret.
Lucia Grey, watching the changing
shadows on the hills, was unconscious
OF this gaze.
After climbing the slope they follow
ed the river, close to the edge, past the
'Lovers Nook" natural sofa in the
sheltered side of q high clif, which
probably received it's name in primi-
tive days, as it was now given over to
the family parties and the general
public; up the rocky steep beyond to-
a quiet, shaded spot, where the high
banks overhung the water, and one,
leaning over. might catch glympse
OF that wondrous underground that
fills the bed OF this stream and makes
it seem like the reflection OF some gar
den OF heaven, held forever in q crys.
tai case. There they stopped to rest.
Lucia, in trying to reach an old fall
en- tree, which offered avery luxurious
lounging place, caught her dress on a
thorny aguarite bush and was held so
tightly that a bit of the pretty ruffle
had to be sacrificed before she could
be released. -
They laughed merrily over this dis
aster, and, after much slipping and
scrambling, finally arranged them
selves to their satisfaction; she on the
OAO AOe "Aou AOI ucttu ttSbAuSC a. AhOSo-
covered stump, and ho on a fat rock
q few feet below. st*
Lawrence Holt was called homely
man, but his dark face, with clear-cut
outlines and the sensitive, boyish col
or in the cheeks, had something fne
about it, and in the sunlight was al
most handsome, for it was a face that
needed the rays Of the sun to bring
out its best tints.
The eyes, a dull brown in shade,
became brilliant in the light, with that
subued radiance that seems to warm
without binding YOU, as rich East